To Everything There is a Season - Life's Demands
by mpluto
Summary: This is the sixth of the To Everything series following Family Ties. Even as Adam and Shiloh celebrate the birth of their first child, a son, trouble is eminent with Hoss still partially blind, Micah fighting for his life and more work than one man or woman can handle. This is a story about setting limits while raising Cartwrights.
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter One**

The last of the winter storms was past them and spring work had begun. Four weeks had passed since Adam brought Micah home. It had been only a few days before then that Abel, Adam and Shiloh's firstborn, arrived.

Micah was still confined to bed at the Ponderosa after a man from his past had branded his feet and left him for dead in the high desert. He was learning to make do with less laudanum, and had begun to eat because he was hungry rather than because he was told.

Hop Sing had managed to keep infection from the severe burns at bay with a cream he and Cheron had concocted. Still, Dr. Martin wondered if Micah would ever walk again on soles with little skin left.

Shiloh had managed to walk albeit a few steps at first, but taking a few steps more each day. But by the end of the day, her exhaustion in fighting the pain was plain on her face. Paul was sure that if Abel's difficult birth had caused a fracture, it was well on its way to healing, but he was also sure that muscle and connective tissue injuries could easily take longer than small fractures. He encouraged her to walk every day, assuring her that using her muscles would only strengthen them.

Evenings were her favorite time of day because Adam was home. He never came in before dark, doing as much as possible around the ranches as long as light permitted. Yet even though he was at home, many nights he may as well have been absent. He washed, ate dinner and then retreated to his study occupied at his new desk and drawing table that had arrived only the week before.

He was there, Shiloh lamented, though absent. She spent her evenings in the office with him, if only to be close. By that time, she was tired and would retreat to the wheelchair. Little Abel lay quietly in his cradle next to her as she read in between loving but melancholy glances at Adam's back.

Tonight, she had read the same page several times before she gave up and closed the book. Looking down beside her, she checked on Abel, and then pushed herself up out of the chair. She remained in place until she felt steady. In all that movement, Adam never lifted his head from his drawings.

He had hung those that were finished on the wall in front of him to reference while he completed another elevation of the Hotaling Building which had changed from a hotel to offices and a warehouse for the Hotaling's whiskey business.

Taking a deep breath, a smile moved across his lips when her hands touched his shoulders, moving slowly down his back, around his sides and across his chest as she pressed into him. At first, he continued to draw, but stopped, slowly laying his pencil down when he felt her head settle on his back. He found her hand, lifting it to his lips. "Why don't I take you upstairs?"

"I'm not going without you."

He chuckled. "Well, that's true considering I have to carry you up the stairs."

"If you take me upstairs, I'm not going to let you come back down."

Tightening his lips into a line, he said, "I need to finish these drawings tonight and get them out on the morning stage to San Francisco."

Lifting her head, she placed her chin on his shoulder and spoke in his ear. "You get up before dawn and you don't stop until after midnight. You can't keep this up."

"Spring is always busy. You know that."

"I also know that this spring is unusually busy for you because Hoss and Micah can't help."

He turned around and pulled her into him. "We had this conversation last night."

Wrapping her arms around his neck, she continued, "And we had this conversation the night before and the night before that. Adam, you need more help. All this work is wearing you, and Joe and Pa out."

He lifted her into his arms and stood, carrying her out of the office toward the stairs. "Sweetheart, we're used to long hours in the spring. This isn't unusual."

"It is. Before Slater, you came home, relaxed and went to bed. Now you come home, bathe, eat and go back to work. And aren't you forgetting someone?"

Adam tucked his tongue in his cheek and turned around, heading back for the office. Once there, he set Shiloh on her feet, lifted Abel out of his cradle and placed him in his mother's arms, then lifted her again and resumed his journey up the stairs to their bedroom where he went directly to the bed and lay her down.

She frowned. "Adam, I'm dressed. I can't go to bed without changing into my gown."

"Stay right there while I put Abel to bed," he said, yawning. "I'll help you back up."

Shiloh waited until Adam entered the nursery next to their bedroom, then slowly moved to the side of the bed and sat up. Their new furniture had finally been delivered, and now in their own bedroom with a new, somewhat higher, firmer bed, it was easier for her to move in it. She took several deep breaths and stood, wavering for a moment. She'd left her cane in the study.

"Adam," she called loud enough for him to hear her in the nursery, "I need to feed him before I lay down. Bring him back, please."

Adam turned back toward the bedroom and leaned against the door frame with one ankle crossed over the other and his hands tucked into his armpits. He twisted his mouth into a sideways pucker as he watched her hobble to the chest of drawers and take out her night gown. She unbuttoned her blouse with one hand as she steadied herself against the chest with the other, and when she let her hand drop to her side and visibly sagged, he hurried to her, grasping her upper arms.

"Sweetheart, let me help."

Taking a deep breath, she smiled, though he couldn't see it. "I have to get used to doing things for myself, Adam. I'm just tired." She side-stepped him and slowly shuffled back to the bed where she sat and finished undressing. By the time she pulled her gown over her head, Adam was standing by with Abel, ready to pass the baby to her.

He stayed while she settled Abel down for his meal, and once Abel seemed content in her arms, he moved toward the door.

"Please don't go."

He stopped and waited for a moment before he turned to her. "I have to finish tonight."

"What harm would there be if you sent the drawings on the noon stage? You don't really think Robert's going to rush right over to deliver them do you. No, he'll take some time to go over them before he does that."

Adam scratched his neck. "It's not just the Hotaling Building. I have other work to do."

When she looked up at him, the dark circles around her eyes seemed more pronounced in the low light of the lamp on the night table. Her eyes were dull, her lips taut and pale...she looked so tired.

"I miss you," she whispered before she lowered her gaze to her son as she gently stroked the fine hair on his head while the child obliviously took his nourishment. Without looking back up, she continued, "I want you to start sleeping in this bed."

Taking several steps toward her, he shook his head, trying to find words that wouldn't disappoint her too badly. "Shiloh, I don't want to cause you any more pain than you're already in."

She snorted. "I don't know what's worse. The pain in my hips or the pain in my heart." She turned her pleading eyes to up to his. "This is a bigger bed. It doesn't sink like your old bed. I just want to be able to reach out and feel you beside me. That's all."

He dropped his forehead into his hand and stroked his temples. "All right. I'll be back after I finish up the drawing I was working on." She opened her mouth to protest, but he raised a finger along with his eyebrows. "I just need to check it and take down the drawings on the wall. I won't be long."

She lowered her eyes and said nothing more.

By the time Adam returned, Shiloh was asleep with Abel at her side. He collected the baby and moved him to the baby bed he'd added to the furniture order soon after they moved into the house, then stripped, leaving his clothes in a heap on the floor, and for the first time since Abel's birth, he slipped under the covers of the new bed next to his wife.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter Two**

It was unusual that Shiloh was able to watch Adam as he slept. He usually woke before her. It wasn't that she woke any earlier than she normally did. Adam was slowly wearing himself down, and if she hadn't been quite sure of it before, she certainly was now. He was up in the mornings like clockwork...except for this morning.

She had already been up twice with Abel, and each time she had come back to bed, Adam seemed peaceful enough, but now so close to his waking time, his faced showed the tension he was about to face in his day, his brow was creased, and his lips taut rather than relaxed.

He'd stayed away from her all night, barely within reach he was so close to the other side of the bed. But his presence made all the difference in the world to her, and though she had gotten up several times, her sleep was restful. She jumped when Adam sat straight up.

His eyes darted around the room, his search finally falling on Shiloh, and he slowly let out a breath that seemed to deflate his rigidness. Falling back down on the bed, he stretched his arm out, finding Shiloh's arm and squeezing gently.

"Was that a dream?" she asked.

He rolled to his side facing her, moving his hand up to caress her cheek. "I was late getting into town and missed the morning stage."

"If that's not a sign you're working too much, I don't know what is. Fear over logic. The afternoon stage would be fine, and you know it."

He gave her cheek a gentle pat as he moved closer for a morning kiss; just a quick peck before he rose to sit on his side of the bed. "You know I want to get the drawings on the morning stage."

"I do, but I never imagined it would disturb your sleep."

"I suppose it's because it's one thing finished. Like I've made some progress."

She reached across the bed for him, and in doing so, her body twisted. She groaned.

Quickly turning toward her, Adam leaned forward and moved her to her back amid her protests.

"I'm all right."

He froze as his eyes met hers. "I was just trying to help."

Her tension slowly melted into a smile as her hand moved up his arm. "I know," she said softly. "But sometimes I feel..." She glanced up at his eyes, then down again. "I don't want to add to your responsibilities when you have so many. And I suppose I feel a little...well...I don't want to bother you."

Shifting to her side of the bed, Adam slowly leaned over her, judging if he was hurting her from the slight changes on her face. He was pleased nothing significant showed and settled himself half over her.

Closing her eyes, she relished the feeling of his body against hers. It had been so long.

"Sweetheart, you're doing what you need to be doing at the moment, and that's taking care of Abel."

"I know that, but I could be doing more..." her face saddened. "If I could ride, I could take care of the ranch, I could get supplies, and I could run errands for you."

Taking a breath, Adam slowly let it out as he made a decision. "I'm spending the day with you." Shiloh's eyes widened as her mouth opened, but just before a protest came forth, Adam put a finger to her lips. "I'll send Shorty to town with the drawings, and while you spend your morning with Abel, I'll ride over to the mine, and then to the Flying W to speak with Hank. How do you feel about riding over to Pa's house today? Micah's been asking to see you and Abel. And I think you just might be able to handle the buggy ride over."

"What about everything else?"

"It's Sunday, Sweetheart. I know we haven't been slowing down on weekends, but maybe it's time everyone had a day off. When men get too worn down, accidents happen."

She gently pushed him up and sat up on the side of the bed. "So when are you going to take your own advice?"

Leaning into her ear, he said, "Today," before he kissed it.

Shiloh finished her morning routine in the washroom and as she stood in front of the wardrobe deciding what to wear, she called back to Adam. "Is Micah able to get up at all?"

Adam's voice was raised a bit so she could hear him from the washroom. "He's been up on the side of the bed, but Dr. Martin doesn't want his feet on the floor yet. He says they could still become infected."

"I have an idea."

Walking into the bedroom in his white drawers, he stopped next to her and reached into the wardrobe. "And what would that be?"

She gave him a quick glance as she braced herself, thinking he might not be receptive to the idea. "What if we take the wheelchair over to Pa's...for Micah. We could move him into the downstairs bedroom, and then he'll be able to get anywhere he needs to go." She held her breath and waited.

He stopped for a moment, but then slowly pulled a red shirt out of the wardrobe. "And what will you do in the evenings when you're too sore to stand?"

"I'll sit in a chair without wheels. The last few nights, the wheelchair has stayed in one place in your study." She took her skirt and blouse over to the bed and sat down. "I'm tired of being an invalid. I just need to push myself."

He turned to face her as he pulled his trousers on. "And what does Paul think about you pushing yourself?"

"I have no idea. I haven't spoken to him about it. Even so, I don't think I really need the wheelchair. We have plenty of chairs." When Shiloh was dressed, she sat quietly on the bed.

Adam approached her as he tucked in his shirt. "All right. We'll take it with us, and while we're there, we'll get him moved downstairs." He reached out his hand to her. "And _we_ does not mean _you."_

"What if he doesn't want to?" she asked, moving toward the nursery.

Raising his brows and wearing an impish grin, Adam replied, "We'll tell him he can't hold Abel until he's moved."

Shiloh brought Abel into the bedroom and looked at him before looking back at Adam. "Is he still in pain? Maybe he won't be able to hold him?"

Adam nodded, but said nothing. When he bent to lift her into his arms, she stepped away. "I'll tell you what. If you'll carry Abel, I'll walk down the stairs."

Adam's mouth dropped open as he gave her a sidelong look. "Considering how you're still limping pretty badly, I don't think that's a good idea."

She harrumphed, lifted her chin into the air and left the room.

xxxxxxxx

When Adam exited the buggy in the yard at the main house, he leaned back in over Shiloh. "I'm going to carry you inside. You barely made it down the stairs, and I'm not having you collapse in the yard."

Abel had been fussy since they'd left, and though Shiloh only had a mile to work with, she managed to satisfy his appetite before they drove into the yard. She pushed a sound asleep Abel into his father's arms, and very slowly lowered herself out of the buggy.

Adam glared at her. The only thing that stopped him from barking was his fear of waking Abel.

"Stop glaring at me," she spit as she hobbled around him. "If you carry me into the house and Micah sees or hears of it, you'll never convince him to keep the wheelchair."

He commented even though she had already turned away, "I'm not sure I should try to convince him."

When she stopped, she didn't look back at him, but Adam saw her back stiffen. Looking forward, she said quietly, "No matter what you do here today, Adam, I will not be using the chair again. So he might as well have it available." She didn't wait for an answer and continued slowly to the house.

Hurrying to catch up, Adam reached for the door latch around her just as she had raised her hand to knock. "Anybody home?" he asked as he pushed the door open.

"Adam?" Ben's voice carried around the corner from the desk as he followed it. "Well, what a surprise! I would have thought it was much too soon for you to be up and out," he said as he bent to kiss Shiloh's cheek.

As much as she hurt, she put on a smile for him. "I actually came to see Micah and bring him a present, but I'm just as happy to see you. And," she glanced back at Adam, "we need to speak with you as well."

"Oh? Is everything all right?" he asked as he moved to Adam's shoulder and spied his grandson.

"All is well, Pa. Do you want to hold him? I need to bring...something...in from the wagon."

Wearing a wide grin, Ben reach into Adam's arms, lifting Abel and then cradling him in his arms. "And before I forget, I need to talk to you, Adam. Council business."

"All right. I'll be right back," said Adam, heading out the door.

"Shiloh, why don't we sit down," said Ben, nodding toward the living area at the same time he smiled down upon his grandson.

She paused at the side of the settee considering the chairs, and when she had decided which one she thought would be more comfortable she hobbled over, turned her back to the chair, reached back so that her hands touched the arms and slowly lowered herself onto the firm, blue cushion.

Ben watch her slowly, stiffly sit. "Are you sure you should be up, darling?"

She looked down at her hands in her lap and smiled. "Pa, I was never one who could sit still for very long, yet that's all I've been doing since Abel was born. I feel if I don't just get up, I'll never get up." She looked up toward the door when Adam pushed the wheelchair through. "That's why I'm leaving the wheelchair for Micah. Right now, he needs it more than I because he's the same as me. If he doesn't get out of that bed soon and move around, even in the wheelchair, he might not. I don't want him to give up."

Pushing the wheelchair near the base of the stairs, Adam stepped in front of it and sat down. "We thought we'd move Micah down here," he said, indicating the bedroom next to the dining room. "He has more room to move around down here. He can go out on the front porch and enjoy spring, and whenever he's tired, he can go into his bedroom without much help. If we put some linen on the floor next to the bed, he might even be able to move from the chair to the bed by himself."

Looking earnestly at her father-in-law, Shiloh added, "I imagine he's starting to feel he's a burden. I think he'll feel better about being here if he can do some things for himself, Pa."

Ben looked from one to the other and slowly nodded. "You could be right. But I'd rather wait for Paul to say whether he can stand. His feet are still very raw, and Paul said they'll be very tender for awhile."

"Well," said Shiloh, pushing herself up from the chair. "Shall we go tell him?"

"You mean ask," said Ben.

"No, I mean tell," replied Shiloh definitively. "He's coming down whether the likes it or not."


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter Three**

Shiloh had insisted going up the stairs on her own which irritated Adam no end. But he was not prepared to start a yelling match in front of his father, nor was he prepared to listen to Shiloh's loud objection if he lifted her from her feet despite her objections. So, he went up behind her ready to steady her if she wavered.

He stopped her at the closed bedroom door with a hand on her shoulder. "Before we go in, I want to talk to you."

She turned her head toward him without turning around.

"He's lost some weight. He's still a little pale, and he still looks...sick. If his feet are uncovered, they're..." Taking a deep breath, he looked into her eyes. "Sweetheart, have you ever seen burns?"

She faced forward and shook her head.

"His feet are very red...and raw...and seem disfigured because they're swollen. He's lost most of the skin on the bottoms of his feet and toes. I don't know if they're covered right now. Paul said it would be good for the air to get to the healing skin, but Hop Sing still puts salve on them a couple of times a day, and when he does, he wraps them." He took her arm and gently turned her to face him. "I want you to be prepared for what you see. We're lucky he's alive."

"I understand," she said softly, lowering her eyes.

Adam gave her a short nod and reached for the door handle. When the door was barely open, he asked loudly, "Do you feel like company?"

Micah was sitting up in bed, reading a book. "Yeah, come on in."

Adam pushed the door open for Shiloh to enter, and when Micah realized it was his sister at the door, he quickly pulled the covers over his feet. "Little Sister, I didn't think...you're standing."

Her smile was sweet, and she managed a lilt in her voice. "Of course I'm on my feet. It's impossible to keep a Whitney down for too long. You should know that." She tried not to show her pain, but it was obvious to both Micah and Adam. Adam had a chair pulled next to the bed before she got there.

"Micah, you look like you've been to hell and back."

He laid the book down at his side and smiled. "I could say the same about you, but actually, you look lovely. Except when you walk. You look like an old lady."

In that moment the look that passed between them, a look certainly of love, but also understanding, made Adam realize how much they favored each other. The way they each tilted their heads with two sets of bright blue eyes gazing each at the other, and the way they wore slight smiles...anyone who didn't know them might have thought them twins.

Shiloh glanced back over her shoulder to make sure Adam was right behind her. "We have something for you, but you have to come downstairs to see it."

"By _it _do you mean _him_?"

A wide smile appeared on Shiloh's face. "Well, that, too, but I really do mean _it_. We want you to move to the downstairs bedroom, so you have more to see...so you can be part of all that goes on here, and so you can spend some time on the porch enjoying the nice weather."

"And just how am I gonna do that? I've not been given permission to put my feet on the floor."

Shiloh leaned to one side and looked up over her shoulder at Adam.

"Ah," Adam started, raising his brows. Truthfully, he hadn't thought about how to get Micah down the stairs without Hoss. "I think...that maybe...Pa and I can get you down. You've lost some weight."

Furrows appeared in Micah's forehead. "And who's going to get me back up here at night?"

"You're not coming back up," said Shiloh, leaning forward to pat Micah's hand. "You're moving to the bedroom downstairs."

"It doesn't sound like I have a choice," said Micah, crossing his arms in front of him.

"Well, Abel is downstairs. If you'd like to see him, you'll have to come down." With that, Shiloh stood. "I'll go relieve Pa of his grandfather responsibilities so he and Adam can get you downstairs. If you still feel like it when you get settled, you can try out your uncle responsibilities." Micah had opened his mouth to object to her bossiness, but didn't have the chance. She left the room much faster than either he or Adam thought possible.

Looking annoyed at Adam, Micah harrumphed. "Who made her the boss?"

Chuckling, Adam replied, "She did. She's in pain, and she's short tempered at the moment. But if you want to risk life and limb, I'll go get her."

"You could just tell her."

"Oh no. I have to go home with her. No, you will be the one who takes his immediate well-being into his own hands," answered Adam with an impish grin.

xxxxxxxx

Hoss sat on a log in the bright sunshine just outside the teepee he shared with Annie. He'd spent several hours again in the dark, sweaty tent as he had been since he'd arrived at the Washoe encampment.

A illness was passing through the tribe, taking some of the very small and very old. Annie and Cheron had their hands full, moving from hut to hut to tend the sick and dying. Annie had no idea what the sickness was nor what might have started it, and Cheron had never seen anything like it. Others were sick, too, but most of the strong survived.

Still, Hoss watched as another small body was taken from one of the teepees, held in its mother's arms until they reached the pyre kept burning throughout the day and night. The elders of the tribe as well as the one who talked to the Great Spirit stood vigil over the spirits rising with smoke and embers to the sky. This child made eighteen that he'd counted.

He wanted to do more to help, but taking care of the ill was women's work in this tribe. And taking care of the dead was something a white man would never be allowed to do.

He began to weave the leather of the headstall he was making for Chu'o again, but stopped when Annie came from the teepee from which the child had been taken. She carried a wooden bowl filled with cloth and looked out toward the pyre. Cheron stepped out behind her carrying several deerskin pouches, looking in the same direction. Moving her hand to Annie's shoulder, she waited for Annie to turn to look at her, then nodded in the direction of the wiki-up where the medicinal herbs were hung to dry.

Tying the last knot in the headstall, Hoss hung it from a pole just inside the flap of their tent, then stood and met them at the door of the medicine hut. Annie's face spoke volumes of her feelings of helplessness, especially for the children lost. Hoss moved his arms around her and held her tight. "Annie, you cain't let it get to you like this. You know there's always gonna be some sickness or other that takes lives...'specially the little 'uns 'cause they're just too small and weak to fight." Still holding Annie, Hoss looked at Cheron, who had already gone inside the hut and left the flap open. "Cheron, have you and Annie had anything to eat."

"We have not had time, Hoss. And there are more of my people we must tend."

"If you don't eat to keep up your strength, you're gonna be joinin' 'em. How about I go ask Di'na to bring something over to the hut," he said, nodding toward the hut he and Annie shared. "You two can take a few minutes to eat and drink."

Annie hadn't tried to move away from Hoss. She leaned against him heavily, but remained still.

Coming out of the medicine tent, Cheron turned Annie's face to her. "Hoss is right. We must take time to eat."

Taking Annie by her arms, Hoss looked into her eyes. "I'll go find Di'na. I'll be right back. There's some fresh water already over there."

Annie turned in silence and followed Cheron to the hut. When Di'na appeared with several bowls, Hoss and the three women sat in a circle and ate.

"E'tsi, do you know what the sickness is?" asked Di'na, Cheron's daughter.

As Cheron explained what she and Annie had concluded, she picked at her food. "Those who have left us ate at the fire of Me'ma'to se three moons ago." She looked at Annie.

"Di'na, we found mushrooms in So'te's hut," explained Annie.

Di'na mouthed out the word slowly.

Smiling, Annie said the word again, "Mush...room. U'wa'se," bringing an understanding nod from Di'na.

"Some were those you find near the village," continued Annie. "But there were others that looked close to the same, but they were not. They are not good to eat. We believe they are what brought the sickness."

Cheron took her daughter's hand. "So'te is young. Me'ma'to se did not look at the u'wa'se before they were prepared. We must find where So'te found the u'wa'se and burn them. They are so close to the u'wa'se we have always eaten, others may do the same."

"I will take Do'a to help find them."

"Go to So'te's hut," said Cheron. "She can show you where she found them."

Standing straight up from a cross-legged position, Di'na ran to find her brother. As Hoss watched her leave, he asked, "Does everyone else know about these mushrooms?"

"Yes," replied Annie. "We just found them in So'te's hut a little while ago, and we have others spreading the word. That's what the women have been throwing in the center fire. I'm afraid they're throwing good mushrooms away, too, but they're scared."

"I don't understand. These mushrooms must have always been there," said Hoss.

"So'te is young", said Cheron. She has just taken a husband. She went much further to find u'wa'se because she had seen ones that were like those we find close to the village, but bigger. Our young women are taught to gather from the places we know. She thought the big u'wa'se would please Me'ma'to se, her mother. And Me'ma'to se did not look at So'te's basket when she returned. Our ways to teach were not followed."

Hoss took the last of the food from his bowl, and wiped his fingers on his trousers. "She must be feeling pretty awful."

Taking a deep breath, Cheron sat up straight and stretched her back. "So'te and Me'ma'to se will be punished." When both Annie and Hoss looked at each other in alarm, Cheron explained, "Many have died because our teachings were not followed. It is our teachings that keep us safe from such things."

"What will happen to them?" asked Annie.

Cheron closed her eyes. "I understand that you do not believe...an...accident...to be punishable. But you must understand that the lives of our people depend on those who provide for us." Her shoulders slumped as she lowered her head. "I would ask Chu'o to make the punishment less. But with so many who have died, I know he will not. They will be whipped." Looking sadly out over the village, she finished softly, "And I will tend their wounds once it is done."


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter Four**

With one arm over the shoulders of each man, Micah nervously rode as Adam and Ben, each with an arm around Micah's back and a hand under one of his legs, carried Micah down the stairs, one painfully slow step at a time.

As they took that last step, Micah said wearily, "Just take me straight to the bedroom. I need to lie down for a few minutes."

Shiloh sat watching the slow descent from the edge of the settee, wincing with each and every step Adam and Ben took, but more so from the strain she could see on Micah's face. She was sure it wasn't pain causing his tension, but rather having to rely on someone else to transport him, no matter who it was or how much he trusted them. He'd never admit it, but Shiloh knew well that Micah Whitney was a proud man who at the moment was in a position that compromised that pride.

She entered the room after Adam and Ben had slowly laid Micah on the bed. "What can I do for you?" she asked, leaning over him with a loving gaze and brushing his hair back over his forehead.

Taking a deep breath, he bit his bottom lip. Part of him was angry at her for assuming everyone was going to do what she wanted. The other part of him knew she thought things through and was doing this not only out of love, but because in the end, she was right. It would be better for him if he wasn't confined to the room upstairs. And who better to know that than Shiloh from her own recent experience with confinement. Quietly, he said as he grabbed her hand and kissed it, "Sometimes, Sis, I wish you'd let me get used to an idea before you inflict it upon me. But you're just like Mom was. She always said 'mothers know best.'" A smile stole over his lips. "And you are a mother now."

Returning the smile, she asked, "Do you feel like being an uncle for little while. If you'll sit up, I'll bring him in."

"You mean I don't have to try the wheelchair?"

She narrowed her eyes. "I'm not that bad, am I?" She didn't wait for an answer and smiled. "I didn't think about this at first, but I think we need to talk to Paul before you use the chair. Your feet will have to rest on the footrests, and as I understand it, he doesn't want your feet on the floor yet. He may not want them on the footrests."

"So all this was for nothing?" Micah barked.

Standing straight up like a schoolmarm disciplining one of her wards, Shiloh answered, "Absolutely not. You can hear what's going on, and if it comes right down to getting you out into the fresh air, we'll put pillows under your knees to keep your feet off the footrests."

When he held out his hand to hers, she noticed the tremble. "Maybe we should wait to introduce you to Abel. You're in pain." Turning to Adam who had been leaning against the door frame, she asked, "Would you mind bringing down the laudanum?"

"Nope." He leaned to the side to see Micah. "And I'll bring down the rest of your things as well."

"Thanks, Adam." Though he was disappointed about missing Abel, he knew he wouldn't be able to stand the pain much longer. His last dose of laudanum had already worn off. "If you can stay a little while, it doesn't take long for me to gather my wits about me after I've had a dose."

Hearing the conversation from the leather chair in the sitting room, Ben wandered into the bedroom and moved his hands to Shiloh's shoulders. "Why don't you two just stay for lunch? That'll give Micah time to deal with the laudanum and have something to eat, so he can see Abel before you leave."

Smiling sweetly up at her father-in-law, she nodded.

Hop Sing announced that lunch was ready just as Joe came through the front door. Adam and Ben had moved chairs into Micah's room so he would be included in the mealtime conversation.

Joe followed Shiloh as she brought Abel in and laid him on the bed next to his uncle who had just stirred from the grogginess left by the laudanum. "I didn't think you'd mind the company in your bed," said Shiloh softly as Joe cooed at his nephew while she adjusted his little blanket.

"He's asleep?" asked Micah.

"He's asleep most of the time," answered Shiloh. "Except when he's hungry or needs to be changed."

"Well I'll be. Look at all that dark hair," said Micah, admiring his nephew. At that moment, Abel sucked in his bottom lip, whimpered once, and then smiled causing Micah's lower jaw to drop at the same time he laughed. "You're in trouble," he said, glancing up at Shiloh.

"Why is that?"

"He's gonna be popular with the ladies, same as his pa. Look at his dimples."

Sitting in a chair near the door, Adam rolled his eyes. "My dimples never got me anywhere."

"Not true," argued Micah. "Your dimples always got your foot in the door. It was your dry, educated conversation that shut anything promising down."

While taking the plate Hop Sing offered her, Shiloh chimed in, "I happen to enjoy his dimples and his educated conversation."

The corner of Adam's mouth turned up as he gave Micah a quick affirming nod. "There, you see?"

"It was his narrow-minded bossiness that irked me."

"Here, here," said Joe with a mouthful.

Snapping his head around with his mouth slightly open, Adam replied testily, "Never mind."

Shiloh giggled as she bit into her sandwich, chewed and swallowed. "Micah, if Paul says you can use the wheelchair, how would you like to do some paperwork?" Both Ben and Adam's heads popped up from their plates, grabbing Shiloh's attention. "If he feels like it, what's the harm? In fact, it could help a great deal with everything that needs to be done around here. You three can be directing all the physical work without having to worry about when the paperwork is going to get done. Micah and I should be able to handle most of it, and for those things that need a decision, we'll be able to present it so you don't have to pore over it. That should make things move along, don't you think?" she said, nodding hopefully.

Ben raised his eyebrows. "Don't you think that would be up to Micah?"

"She's right, Mr. Cartwright," said Micah. "I already feel bad enough that I can't even handle my own ranch or the mine. If I can be of help in some way, I'm more than willing."

"Micah, you don't have to feel bad because you're not on your feet," admonished Adam. He pointed his fork at Micah. "You're as much family as any one of us."

Folding his lips, Micah looked at Adam, then Joe and finally Ben and nodded. "Dad picked his friends well."

"I could say the same thing," said Adam with a wide grin.

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"Annie, I cain't stand by and watch while them women are beaten," said Hoss, turning his back on Cheron with his hands shoved in his pockets.

"If you interfere," said Cheron with no emotion, "Chu'o will kill you."

Annie's mouth dropped open. "Cheron, surely you can do something?"

"I cannot. It is our law. Our law is that which keeps us safe." Turning quickly, she continued. "If you cannot abide by our laws, you both must leave." Her brows turned into an agonized frown. "For your own good," she finished quietly. "I can do nothing more for Hoss's eyes. They will finish healing with time."

Moving a hand to Cheron's shoulder, Annie said, "We will leave."

Cheron reached up to Annie's hand. "On the new day. I will ask Chu'o to wait."

The following morning, while Annie packed those things given to her by Cheron, Hoss loaded their wagon with the things they had brought with them. They were largely left alone by the members of the Washoe tribe.

Hoss ducked into their wiki-up. "You ready?" he asked softly.

Annie was on her knees, moving the last of the herbs she was taking with her into a box, and sat back on her legs. "This happened so suddenly, Hoss. I never thought we'd be leaving like this."

Reaching down for her hand, he gently pulled her to her feet and embraced her. "Cheron don't mean nothin' by it. It's just their way. I reckon things could get bad for her if she keeps buckin' her husband." He kissed her tenderly. "It's time to go."

Before Hoss could help Annie into the seat of the wagon, Cheron approached and smiled. "This," she said, handing a bundle to Annie, "is for you to take with you. The women of the tribe have been weaving since you arrived. With these blankets in your house, the Great Spirit will always protect you."

Taking her medical bag from under the seat of the wagon, Annie held it out to Cheron. "I've shown you how to use these instruments. I want you to have this."

This was one of the very rare times when Cheron's lips turned into a bright, beautiful smile. "I thought you would be angry," she said as she reached for Annie and drew her into a hug.

"It's difficult to understand, Cheron," Annie whispered in her ear, "but I respect your ways. I'm not angry. But I am sorry we have to part so soon."

Hoss pulled the reins and headstall he'd made for Chu'o from the back of the wagon and placed them in Cheron's hands.

She held them up and admired the dark, soft, braided leather decorated with smooth, polished pink quartz stones. "Hoss, I did not know," she said surprised. "The work is good...as good as I have seen from my people. Chu'o may seem angry you are here, but he has told me it has not been so bad. He thinks you are funny, Hoss. And he will know you have a good heart."

"If you need anything, Cheron, you know where to find us. My pa would never turn any of your people away. You remember that."

"I will remember, Hoss." She turned to Annie. "And I will remember your teachings."

"And I will remember yours," answered Annie with another hug. "We should go."

Once Hoss helped Annie into the seat of the wagon, he climbed up on the other side and took the reins.

Annie cleared her throat. "Can you see the road enough to drive?"

He looked at her and twisted his lips, then looked forward, first leaning to the right and looking down next to the horses, then looking left. "Well, as long as I can tell the difference between the light brown of the road and the dark brown or gray of the pine needles or rocks, I'll be all right."

"You can see that?" asked Annie excitedly. "Why didn't you say something?"

"I ain't really thought about it. Everything's kinda brown in the village, and I ain't been allowed very far from our hut. Now how 'bout you and me go home. I'll bet they could all use some help," he said, smiling.

As Hoss flicked the reins and the wagon lurched forward, both he and Annie waved back to Cheron while the women of the village stopped what they were doing and became still as they watched the white woman and her husband drive away.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter Five**

As Adam lifted Shiloh from her chair, Ben pulled the blanket up and over Micah, then took Abel into his arms and quietly left the bedroom behind Adam. Nodding toward the stairs, Adam continued up while Ben eased into the leather chair to enjoy the various expressions his grandson made in his sleep.

Adam chuckled as he trotted back down the stairs and got comfortable in the blue chair. "I do believe the Whitney side of the family, and that includes Cartwrights with Whitney blood," he said, indicating his son in his father's lap, "has left us for the next few hours." Wearing a sudden impish grin, he asked, "Checkers?"

Ben matched his son's smile. It had been some time since he'd had the pleasure of sharing a game of checkers with his eldest son, the only one of three who could actually challenge him. "What about?" he asked, nodding down at his grandson.

Joe had just walked in from the kitchen when Adam said, "I'll bet Uncle Joe won't mind holding him."

Smiling, Joe answered, "It's about time I get to spend more than a second with my nephew. Hand him over," he said as he flopped into the other leather chair.

As Ben lowered Abel into Joe's arms, he said, "Now Joseph, he's not a puppy. Make sure..."

"I know, Pa. Make sure his head is supported." Ben lightly growled. "Adam told me that the first time I held him." Glancing up at his father, Joe recognized the stony gaze and wilted. "Sorry, Pa. I shouldn't have interrupted."

"Hmf," was Ben's only response as he turned toward the checkerboard Adam had already placed on the table.

"Pa, you said something about council business? I didn't miss a meeting again, did I?" asked Adam as both men placed their checkers on the appropriate squares.

"No. I saw Frank briefly in town last week. He wants to meet to discuss our bid for the state capital. He said he knew we were busy, so he'd come out here. He'll be here tomorrow night."

"I thought Carson City was favored because of the fear that Virginia City will have nothing to offer after the mines play out." Adam looked at his father with raised eyebrows. "They will eventually play out."

"We know that, but that doesn't mean Virginia City will die. It supports many of the ranches, and as a state capital it will certainly develop more interests. We're bigger…we have a larger population, and we have more established businesses that can support the additional people. Carson City is barely a city. The population isn't even a tenth of ours."

"Pa, we're covered in snow in the winter, and even if there's no snow in Virginia City, getting in and out is a problem because of it. Besides that, where are we going to build a capitol building? There isn't any flat property big enough for a capitol building within miles of Virginia City. And building it on the side of mountain will just make it harder to get to in winter."

Before the first move was made, it seemed the two men were at odds. Ben glared angrily at his son for a moment, but when Adam met the glare with a crooked grin, Ben looked down at his hands, shook his head and chuckled. "All valid points."

"They're gonna come up. We have to know how we're gonna answer them." With that said, Adam, who commanded the red checkers, made his first move.

Joe had fallen asleep slouched down in the chair with one leg over the arm and Abel sleeping peacefully on his chest until the second move of the second game. No one had noticed the little stretch or the twist of the head followed by the toothless gnawing of the little fist. Even Joe slept through most of it...until Abel realized no one was paying attention. When he announced in no uncertain terms that he wanted what only his mother could give him, the men all took immediate notice, but especially Joe. He held Abel up in the air, looking down at the wet dark spot on his shirt, then proceeded to turn pale and give the child a sickly half-hearted smile.

By that time, Adam was upon them, taking Abel from Joe's hands, but holding the child out, much like Joe had done. "Pa, would you mind getting a towel from the kitchen?"

"Why don't you just take him upstairs?" asked Joe, now standing and plucking the front of his wet shirt from the skin of his chest.

Adam blew his cheeks out stifling a laugh. "Because I don't want to hand him over to Shiloh in this condition. She'll make my ears bleed she'll be so angry."

Ben returned with the towel and wrapped it around the baby. "Why don't you run up and bring down a diaper. We can change him before she sees him."

"I don't know what the problem is," said Joe. "Babies wet themselves all the time, don't they?"

"They do," answered Adam as he climbed the stairs. "But if they've been wet too long they get a rash."

Joe looked down at his shirt in a panic. "You mean..." He didn't finish but rather busied himself with removing his shirt. Looking at his father sheepishly, he wadded the shirt into a ball and excused himself. "I need to...wash up."

Adam passed Joe on the way back down the stairs carrying the sheet of flannel that served as a diaper, and just as he reached Abel who Grandpa was tending on the towel on the table, Hop Sing entered with a bowl of warm water, a cloth, and some foul smelling white powder.

Adam sniffed the air and scowled before he began removing Abel's little dress. Everything was soaked through, so the child had to be stripped down to nothing. He carefully bathed Abel in warm water and reached for the extra towel Hop Sing had thought to bring in from the kitchen. Just as he was about to apply the flannel covering, Hop Sing grunted.

Looking over, Adam raised an eyebrow anticipating that Hop Sing had something to say.

"Shake on cloth," he said, passing Adam a bowl.

Adam sniffed the bowl and turned up his nose. "It smells burnt. What is it?"

"It flour. Stop rash."

Taking the bowl, Adam reluctantly lifted Abel's legs and sprinkled flour on the flannel before he folded it over and pinned it. Though Abel was quiet through the changing, as soon as it was over, he gave his father a seriously perturbed glare and bellowed such that he woke his mother. Before Adam got to the bottom of the stairs, she was standing at the top.

Her eyes were wide, her jaw set, her lips folded into a tight line. "What happened to his clothes?"

At the bottom of the stairs, Adam rolled his eyes. "He was wet. I took everything off when I changed him, but that was after he decided he was hungry." When she reached for the baby upon his arrival at the top of the stairs, Adam pulled Abel away. "Uh uh. I'll follow you to the bedroom, and once you're settled I'll give him to you."

"What is that smell?" she asked, turning up her nose and scowling.

Adam smiled nervously. "Oh, well. Hop Sing suggested we put...flour...on his diaper...to prevent rashes."

Arching one eyebrow, she tilted her head and looked him square in the eye. "And why are we worried about rashes...unless he was wet for awhile?"

Clearing his throat, Adam glanced down at his father who was trying to hide his smile. Speaking over Abel's increasing insistence, he said, "Why don't we go get him settled, and I'll tell you all about it?"

Ben waited for the bedroom door to thump closed until he laughed out loud.

In only a few minutes, Adam slowly strode down the stairs wearing a smile. He resumed his seat in front of the checkerboard, motioning for his father to take his seat on the other side.

"It must not have been too bad considering how you came back down," said Ben as he studied the checkers. "Whose turn is it?"

"It's yours," answered Adam, moving to the edge of the blue chair and leaning over the checkerboard. "When she has Abel in her arms, everything changes. I knew she'd be a good mother, but to see her with him... I've never imagined such instant devotion."

"Oh," said Ben, his hand hovering over the object of his next move. "Have you forgotten how she fought to have him?" He glanced up. "She was devoted to Abel before he was born." He smiled and made his move.

With a satisfied, distant look, Adam nodded. "She was. She is. I'd never have thought it was possible when she came home from college. She was hard. Unforgiving. Unbending." He let out a contented breath, then moved a red checker.

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Adam and Shiloh sat in their bed, both leaning back against the headboard, both watching Abel as Adam gently moved him from side to side trying to get him to open his eyes.

"He's such a calm child, at least until he's hungry," said Shiloh, giggling.

"Well, he's only four weeks old. We just have to give him time."

She giggled again as she caressed his head. "He seems to be getting a little thin on top of his head. I wonder if he'll lose all of his hair and have nothing but fuzz for awhile. Oh look. A dimple. What do you suppose he's smiling about?"

"I doubt he's doing it consciously."

Just then, Abel made a long, drawn out grunt.

"You don't suppose he's filling up his diaper, do you?" asked Adam.

Taking a deep breath, Shiloh answered, "I don't smell anything but burnt flour. Is that really supposed to prevent a rash?"

Adam leaned away and looked at her. "You're doubting Hop Sing?"

"No," she said, chuckling. "I suppose not. Would you do something for me...us?"

"Mm hm," he said, bring Abel up and kissing his cheek.

"Would you play your new guitar for us...and maybe sing? I've only seen you play it once or twice. Don't you like it?"

"Of course I like it," he said, passing Abel to her and moving to the side of the bed. "I just haven't had much time."

"Well, we have all evening, at least until dinner. Please?" she asked sweetly.

Bending over her, he kissed her, paying slow attention to the fullness of her lips. Lingering, he looked into her eyes, then back to her lips, feeling desire welling up within him. She was more lovely now than ever, more open than ever, more vulnerable than ever. Though he wanted her, he simply kissed her again and slowly moved away. He didn't want her to feel pressured or rushed. And he certainly didn't want to hurt her. "_All in good time_," he thought as he moved away to get his guitar.


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter Six**

It was the middle of the day when the wagon rattled into the yard of the main house. Hoss looked up at the house as if he was seeing it for the first time.

"I don't think I'll ever get tired of looking at this place again," he said with a smile while searching for Annie's hand. When he found it, he brought it to his lips. "You weren't really here long enough to think about this place as your home, was ya?" He turned to see her sweet smile. "That is, if you want this to be your home."

Puzzlement washed over her face. "Where else would home be?"

Taking her other hand, he ran his thumb over her knuckles. "Pa gave me some land, just like he did Adam and Joe. I call it Hoss's Heaven. I thought maybe we could build our own place out there. Raise our children there. Of course, we'll stay here until we can build a house. Pa wouldn't mind the company at all, 'specially with Adam gone. That breakfast table probably seems a little lopsided."

Moving her hand to his cheek, she answered, "Hoss, I don't mind being here for as long as we're here. I love your pa. He's already been so good to me. And Shiloh is just down the road, so I won't feel quite so outnumbered by you men. No, I think I'd like to just get settled before I decide how to go about getting some patients. Dr. Martin is the likely place to start, but I don't think he's going anywhere."

After a slow, tender kiss, Hoss stepped down from the wagon and turned, taking a waiting Annie by the waist and floating her down.

"I wonder if anyone's home," said Hoss as he took Annie's hand and headed for the front door. Stepping inside, he yelled, "Anybody home?"

"What's all the noise out there?" came a voice from the downstairs bedroom. "Hoss? Is that you?"

"Micah?" Looking back at Annie with his brows raised and a half smile, Hoss rounded the corner and stepped into the open door of the bedroom. "When'd you get down here? I'd a thought you'd still be upstairs."

"Shiloh's idea," Micah answered, setting his book aside. "I guess with her experience with confinement, she decided it wasn't good for me, even though I'm still confined."

"Well, you're lookin' mighty good considerin'. But I thought it'd take a lot longer than this. You ain't walkin' yet, are ya?"

Micah took a deep breath as he watched Annie move to the foot of the bed. "I'm still a long way from that. They aren't healed yet. Paul said even when they are, they'll be tender for a long time."

"May I?" asked Annie motioning to the two lumps underneath the blanket.

"You can't see anything. Hop Sing wrapped 'em about a half hour ago."

"Well, maybe later," she said, smiling. "Where is everyone?"

"Little lady, this is a working ranch. They're out counting heads."

"Maybe I ought to go out and help once we get the wagon unloaded," said Hoss.

"Wait," said Micah with a slow grin. "You can see?"

Hoss shoved his hands in his pockets. "Well, my eyes ain't perfect. But they're good enough to tell the north end from the south end of a steer." Turning for the door, he pointed, "I'll go start unloadin' the wagon." Stepping out of the room, he ran headlong into Hop Sing, quickly steadying the tray that almost landed on the floor.

With stormy eyes, Hop Sing yelled, "You watch where go!" It didn't take long for his eyes to become as bright as his smile. "Mista Hoss, you home! Missy Annie, too?"

"I'm here, Hop Sing," called Annie from the bedroom.

"I bring Mista Micah lunch. I bring more." After setting the tray over Micah's lap, Hop Sing scurried back to the kitchen.

"I'll go see if I can help. Excuse me," said Annie, disappearing out the door.

Smiling as Annie passed him, Hoss said, "And I'm gonna start unloading. Maybe I can get it done and head out to help some with the roundup."

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Shiloh sat in the chair by the fireplace frowning. Abel slept peacefully in his cradle beside her. She looked down at him, shifted in the chair and exhaled slowly, the frown never relenting. Thinking back to that one day almost a month ago when Adam actually took a day off, she allowed a small smile to pass over her lips, remembering how his long, lovely fingers glided over the strings of the guitar she'd given him for Christmas, the sound rich and clean, and his voice so steady, so deep and so...perfect. She giggled and looked around her thinking how naughty her next thought was. _So...covetable_.

She exhaled the smile off her face. He was out on the ranch, God knew where. He'd come home with just enough time to clean up for dinner. He'd wolf his food down, kiss her on the top of the head, kiss Abel on his forehead and disappear into his office. Again.

She wouldn't even have a chance to tell him what he missed today. Or the day before, or the day before that. It seemed Adam had always taken time with Abel when Abel was asleep or about to fall asleep. He left Shiloh and Abel alone in the mornings when she fed and bathed him. He ate dinner so fast, spending all of that time in short conversation with her, then went straight to his office. He came up to bed late after Shiloh had already fed and put Abel down for the night.

He'd missed the way Abel looked at her, the way he reached out to her, the way he had started getting excited, kicking his legs when she lifted him from his crib in the morning. He hadn't seen all the things Abel was trying to fit into his little mouth and drooling all over. He didn't even know that she was taking Abel outside for walks down to the main road and back or that she had begun to play her piano again, many times with Abel on her lap leaning up against her.

Besides all that, she knew Adam couldn't keep this pace up. She was dreading the day when Pa or Joe came to tell her there'd been an accident.

"Mrs. Cartwright?"

Shiloh had been so deep in thought she hadn't heard Ming Lin approach and almost jumped out of the chair.

"I am sorry, Mrs. Cartwright. I did not mean to startle you."

She turned and smiled. "It's all right, Ming Lin. I was just thinking."

"You're lunch is ready. Would you like to eat at the table or here on the lap board?"

"I need to get up anyway. I'll eat at the table."

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Still with iron in hand, Ben stood from his bent position over the fire used to heat the branding iron until it was red hot. He looked out over the backs of the vast Ponderosa herd.

Adam had just knelt down next to him to add wood to the fire. "Pa, you can put the iron back in the fire." Looking in the direction of his father's gaze, Adam nodded, acknowledging the fact that his father hadn't heard him. He stood, looking out with his father, cocking his head to one side. "That can't be."

Ben glanced back at him. "You can see better than I can. Who is it?"

"If I didn't know better, Pa, I'd say it was Hoss."

The two men waited until the rider and his horse rounded the herd and slowly headed into the camp. Adam chuckled. "Pa, you're slippin.'"

Ben had been smiling, but grumbled, "What do you mean?"

"Well, you'd think you'd know your own son." With the corner of his mouth turned up, Adam tapped his father's chest with the back of his hand and walked forward with Ben chuckling and shaking his head as he followed.

As Hoss approached, Joe rode up stringing a calf along behind him. Wrapping the rope around the saddle horn, he dismounted and walked up next to his father and oldest brother.

"Don't tell me you put me in charge. That means I have to rope 'em, sit on 'em and brand 'em all by myself."

Adam gave Joe a sly wink, then lifted his chin in Hoss's direction as he removed his gloves and shoved them in his back pocket.

"Is that..." A wide grin took over Joe's face. "Is that Hoss?" Before anyone could answer, Joe tossed his hat into the air and let out a loud whoop. Hoss had barely dismounted when Joe jumped into his arms. By the time Ben and Adam reached Hoss, Joe was standing on his own two feet again, but his smile never wavered.

Hoss stepped into Adam, giving him a bear hug that made Adam groan. "What's a matter with you, Adam?" Taking a step back, Hoss looked him up and down. "You done lost some weight. Don't you go getting puny, now? Ain't Ming Lin been feedin' you?" he asked, lightly slapping Adam's stomach.

Adam's smile faltered before he bolstered it while rubbing the sting away from his stomach. He wasn't about to tell Hoss he and Joe were doing double the work since Hoss had been gone.

Before Hoss noticed Adam's waning smile , he was already hugging his father who held on a little longer, a little tighter. "Hoss, you can see?" he asked quietly.

Nodding, Hoss scratched the side of his nose. "Well, yeah, Pa, but it's not real sharp...still a little fuzzy around the edges. But it's enough."

Adam squinted up into the sky, and without looking at Hoss, asked, "What did Cheron say?"

"She said she'd done all she could. My eyes will eventually heal." Hoss shoved his hands in his pockets. "She didn't say how long." Looking up at his father, he continued, "But Pa, I can see enough to round up steers and brand em'. That's why I came out. To help you fellers. Now why don't we quit jawin' and get back to work."

They all smiled, Joe clapping Hoss on the back. "I tell you what. I'll still rope 'em and drag 'em in if you'll sit on 'em while Adam does the branding. That way Pa can concentrate on counting."

"Shucks, Joe, ain't we got hired hands to do all that?"

Adam folded his lips into a tight line. "We've been spread a little thin with you and Micah down. Some are doing fence and barn repairs, some are doing road repairs, and the rest of 'em are rounding up strays and moving the herd around."

"Hey Adam, what about the loggin'? asked Hoss as he took the rope holding the calf from Joe and pulled the calf toward the fire.

"I've got a small crew cutting at the moment. We had some men early on, but it kept snowing, so they went back down into the valley to look for work. They're slowly coming back. And Philip Dedisheimer sent out a fella to handle the mine."

"Well Adam, if you got people taking care of the loggin' and the minin', how come you're startin' to look so scrawny?"

With wide eyes and a sarcastic smirk, Adam answered, "Because I just hired someone to supervise the work at the mine." He bent and shoved the iron in the fire. "I still have to deal with the Flying W, even though Hank handles a lot of it. And then there's Slater and Cartwright."

Hoss knelt down, bringing the calf down with him and moving a leg over the animal. "I guess you ain't been spendin' much time with Shiloh and the baby. How's she doin' anyway?"

Standing from kneeling in front of the fire, waiting for the iron to turn red, Adam bent over the calf and pressed the iron into the flesh of its thigh. "She's better, but she's still in some pain." He smiled. "Abel's growing. He's strong and healthy."

"Well, at least that's somethin'," said Hoss as he clamped down on the calf while Adam branded him.

"Why don't you and Shiloh come to the house for dinner tonight?" said Ben who had walked up behind them. "Hoss and Annie can catch up with what's been happening."

While Hoss untied the calf, Adam pushed the iron back in the fire. "That's fine, Pa, but we can't stay late. I still have to do some work tonight."


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter Seven**

Adam rode into the barn, dismounted and began settling Sport for the evening. When he finished, he walked swiftly to the house and stepped in the front door. "Shiloh!"

He listened for an answer while he removed his hat and gun belt, and when one didn't come, he called again. Again, he heard nothing and tried again at the bottom of the stairs.

"She is not in the house, Mr. Cartwright," said Ming Lin who was standing at the corner that separated the dining room from the kitchen.

The voice Adam had not expected startled him, and he turned around quickly. "Where is she?"

"She went for her afternoon walk."

Adam cocked his head. "Her afternoon walk?"

"Yes, Mr. Cartwright. She has been walking down to the main road each afternoon for several weeks now."

Furrowing his brow, Adam tightened his lips and breathed heavily through his nose. "I just came up from the main road, and I didn't see her. Does she walk anywhere else?"

"She has not told me she walks in other places."

Adam bowed his head while biting the inside of his cheek. He had thought Ming Ling kept a much closer eye on his wife, but knowing Shiloh, she might have told him to stop once she felt comfortable walking outside. "Thank you, Ming Lin. I'm going to look around outside. Let me know if she comes in."

Bowing, Ming Lin answered, "Yes, Mr. Cartwright," before he retreated back to the kitchen.

With a determined stride, Adam stepped outside on the front porch and looked around, concentrating on the dirt track that led from their house down to the road to the main house as he went down the steps. He'd just come up that way and knew if she'd been on that road, he'd have seen her. Looking around in all directions, he stopped when he saw a white horse tear around the end of the stable down the hill. He squinted, trying to see what had gotten the mare's attention and quickly realized it was Shiloh. Before he'd gotten ten feet, another horse slowly trotted around the end of the stable and came to a stop next to the mare. This time, Adam noticed that Shiloh wasn't alone. Another man was with her. He couldn't tell who, but he knew it wasn't one of the hands.

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"I heard about this horse while I was in Placerville. Made an offer then, but the stable master said he wasn't his to sell. Said I'd have to talk to you."

"Elias, what made you want to buy Buster? Surely you've seen similar horses. You probably have similar horses at your livery," said Shiloh.

"You're right, Ma'am. I do. I don't want Buster for the business. I want Buster for myself. You see, after what he did and living up in these mountains, he's...well, he's a good horse to have. I'll pay you top dollar for him," said Elias, nervously bending the rim of his hat in his hand.

"I don't understand. What do you mean 'after what he did'?"

"Elias? What are you doing up here?"

Both Elias and Shiloh turned toward the newcomer.

Extending his hand, Elias answered, "Adam, it's good to see you. I came about Buster. I tried to buy him from Buck Henry down in Placerville, but he said I'd have to speak to the missus."

Adam scratched Buster's muzzle and smiled. "He's not for sale, Elias."

Shiloh eyed her husband severely. "Adam?"

"Sweetheart, this horse is worth more than all the gold in the world," he said calmly. "He saved my life."

Her eyes questioned.

"He pulled me out of the debris from the avalanche and took me to Placerville. I thought he ran away, but he came back for me after the dust settled."

She stood for a moment, speechless. When she found her voice, she said, "Elias, I'm sorry. He's not for sale," then looked back at Adam. "Why didn't you tell me?"

Moving his arm around her shoulder, he slowly pulled her close. "As I recall, I said one word, and it was left at that. I'm sorry, Elias. We could never sell this horse."

Kicking the dirt, Elias managed a smile. He wasn't happy that he rode all the way out from Virginia City for nothing, and he was sure Shiloh would have sold him the horse if Adam hadn't come along. But they wanted to keep him for the same reason he wanted to buy him. He couldn't fault them for that. "S'all right, Adam. I understand."

As Shiloh watched Elias Baldwin ride away, Adam looked around them. "Where's Abel?"

"He's sleeping in the stable office. Tom brought some blankets from the bunk room and made a pallet for him." When one of her husband's brows shot up, she quickly added, "The window is open. I'll hear him if he wakes up. Besides, I haven't been out here long. Elias met me on the track to the main road and walked down with me."

Moving his arm back over her shoulder, he turned with her at his side and walked back toward the office. "When were you going to tell me you've been taking afternoon walks?"

"I've been taking a walk for several weeks now. You've been busy, and I didn't want to disturb you or worry you."

"Worry me." It was a statement, not a question.

She could tell by the tone of his voice that hadn't settled well with him. "Adam, I'm not going to tell you every little thing I do in the course of my day. You've got too much to do as it is, and something as simple as taking a walk should not cause you concern."

He stopped her just before they entered the office. "It does concern me. It's easy enough to tell how exhausted you are at the end of the day..." When she opened her mouth to speak, his brows raised as he quickly said, "And...I know a good bit of that is from pain."

She huffed. "A lot you know." She entered the office, and before he could ask her what she meant, she was leaning over Abel. "Hello, my little love," she said softly.

Adam looked over her shoulder, and once he saw that Abel was still sleeping, he pulled her by an arm back out of the office. "Have you seen Paul?"

Crossing her arms, she looked up at the ceiling as she deeply inhaled. "I don't need to see Paul to know how much pain I'm in, and frankly, since you haven't chosen to heed your own words, I don't see that I need to give you a daily report." She closed her eyes and clenched her jaw at the bite she had failed to keep out of her voice. But since she had shown her hand, she went on. "I find it quite hypocritical that you take yourself to the brink of complete exhaustion only to start again in four or five hours, and you have the audacity to bully me over taking a walk. In case you haven't noticed, I'm not in a whole lot of pain." Still with her arms crossed, she turned her side to him and gave him a rather sharp look before she looked away again.

He could have been angry at her accusation, but it was true. Besides she was so...cute...when she was angry. He fought to suppress a smile, choosing to furrow his brow and pucker his lips. Knowing she'd feel his glare, he simply looked at her and said nothing.

She continued to look away, but moved her eyes to the side to see him, and when she realized he was just going to stand there and steam, or so she thought, she turned, stepping close and moving her hands up his chest. "Oh Adam, when are you going to slow down? You're working yourself into an early grave, and your son isn't even 3 months old."

He took a deep breath and looked up at the ceiling of the first level of the barn, taking a deep breath and maintaining his pucker, trying desperately to stall the smile begging at his lips. Then he felt her hand move up his neck to the side of his face. He felt her rise up on her toes against him and wondered how long he'd be able to resist.

"Adam, I'm fine. I feel so much better now. Please, I don't want you to worry about me. But I can't stop worrying about you. You look so tired."

Taking her hand from his face, he kissed it and held it. "Sweetheart, what you went through...physically and emotionally...to bring that _little love_ into the world warrants some extended rest."

"I've been resting. I'm ready to get on with it. And I intend to take some of this burden off you. I don't have a problem riding in the buggy, so I can go over Flying W business with Hank. That includes payroll, supplies and whatever is needed for repairs. Micah can help with that as well as help with the paperwork at the Ponderosa." Before he had a chance to object, she added, "Your father has already agreed."

"Sweetheart, you don't have to do that."

"Yes, I..."

"Hoss is back."

Her mouth closed, and for a moment she just looked at him. "Hoss and Annie are back? Why? What happened?"

"Why does something have to happen every time plans change?" Adam asked, entering the office and taking his son in his arms.

"Hoss can see?" she asked, watching as Adam wrapped Abel in his baby blanket.

"Well, he says he's still a little fuzzy around the edges, but he came out and helped with the branding today. That's why I'm home. We're finished with this part of the herd. Tomorrow we'll start on the north herd."

"I need to go see Annie," she said, following Adam out of the stable.

"Yes, you do," he answered over his shoulder. "And you're going to tonight. We're going over to Pa's for dinner." Adam stopped and waited for her to catch up, shifted Abel to one arm and extended his other to her. Once she was securely holding his arm, they walked back up the hill to the house.

xxxxxxxx

Annie heard a wagon enter the yard and rushed out the door. She had been antsy ever since the men came home and announced there would be a family dinner this evening...the whole family.

Stopping the buggy in front of the barn, Adam gently nudged Shiloh and nodded toward the front porch with a stunted smile. From the looks of her, Annie was about to explode as she rocked up and down on her toes, barely keeping her excitement at bay.

Adam took his time rounding the buggy to help Shiloh down with Abel, and when he glanced over at Annie, she tilted her head and gave him an angry glare to which Adam laughed out loud, causing little Abel to jerk and stiffen.

Looking up at his mother, Abel's eyes seemed to say 'How rude to wake me so jarringly!', then he let them all know quite loudly he didn't appreciate it.

Adam crooked his jaw as he glanced at Shiloh. "Sorry. I guess he's not used to my laugh." He reached up, and taking Shiloh by the waist, gently lowered her to the ground.

"You may quiet him," she said, pushing Abel into his arms.

He stood with his mouth twisted and his brows raised, nodding as he followed Shiloh with his eyes toward the house. Looking down, he winked, wondering at the same time if Abel could actually see him wink yet, then began to coo and kiss him before he raised the baby to his shoulder and gently rubbed his back. By the time Adam joined Annie and Shiloh on the porch, Abel had begun to settle down.

Both women stood with arms wrapped each around the other in a long, quiet embrace. "How I've miss you," said Shiloh. "But I didn't expect you home so soon. Did something happen?"

"Let's go inside," said Annie. "Hoss and I can tell everyone at once about our time with Cheron's people."


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter Eight**

Micah was able to join the family at the dinner table after a rather comical effort from Joe, Hoss and Adam in getting Micah into the wheelchair with his legs propped up so that his feet never touched anything. Ben waited at the table with a dose of laudanum which Micah shrugged off. He wanted to be able to digest everything Hoss and Annie said.

Annie had the most to tell, but she included Hoss in the conversation where appropriate. She told them what she had learned from Cheron, not only about the tribe's customs, but also about many of the plants the Washoe relied upon for food and medicine.

Hoss's part of the conversation was more about attitudes than material things. "The men there are proud to a fault, and that may be their undoing. Chu'o didn't have much use for me, but he tolerated us bein' there 'cause of Cheron. I braided a headstall and reins for him as a present for puttin' up with us." Taking a swallow of milk, Hoss bowed his head and added, "It was hard not to be able to help when so many little uns were dying. All I could do was sit there and watch." He moved his hand over Annie's. "At least, Annie was there to help. I don't know if Cheron could have done all that by herself."

There was silence at the table as everyone bowed their heads at the thought of such a tragedy.

"It's hard to believe they'd punish their women so severely," said Shiloh quietly.

"That's really why we left," said Annie. Neither of us thought we could watch without doing something. But Cheron told us that would get us killed, so we left."

The sound of a soft whimper floating to the table from a cradle in the living room brought their heads up. "Excuse me," Shiloh said, pushing up from the table.

When the men started to rise, she motioned them all to stay seated, but Ben remained standing. "Why don't we have our coffee in front of the fire? There's a bit of chill in the air tonight."

"If you don't mind, Mr. Cartwright, I think I'll lie down for a while," said Micah.

Adam had watched the strain slowly rise on Micah's face during the last part of the conversation. He stood, and moving to the back of the wheelchair, pulled Micah away from the table and turned him toward the bedroom. "Hoss, you wanna give me a hand?"

"Sure thing," Hoss answered, dropping his napkin on the table and rising. "I'll bring the laudanum."

Once Micah was settled, the two men left him to rest, but as Adam pulled the door closed, Micah said, "Leave it open. It'll get chilly in here. Besides, part of me might remember the rest of the conversation."

Smiling, Adam winked, though he knew Micah hadn't seen it. His eyes were already closed. He sat on the settee rather than the blue chair, making sure there was space next to him for Shiloh to sit when she returned from feeding Abel.

When she brought Abel back down and passed him to his grandfather, the men were already discussing the work still needed around both ranches.

Moving his arm up over the back of the settee, Adam expected Shiloh to dutifully sit next to him. He was puzzled when she chose to sit next to Annie on the hearth, and while Joe and Hoss continued the former conversation, the two women began a conversation of their own.

"We talked about us all through dinner," said Annie. "How have you been?"

"It was hard at first, after you left," answered Shiloh. She took Annie's hand. "But you know me. There was no point in sitting around feeling sorry for myself. Most of the pain is gone. I think I'm ready to get back into it, at least some ground work with the horses. I keep Abel with me when I play and sing."

Adam stood and wandered over to the hearth. He reached for the poker and began to slowly stoke the fire.

"How are you going to do that and take care of Abel, too?" continued Annie.

Shiloh noticed Adam suddenly stop what he was doing, if only for an instant, before he gave a log a hard shove. Leaning in, she spoke in Annie's ear. "I had thought I'd find some help."

"You mean a nanny?" Annie realized she'd said that a little too loudly when Adam stood straight up and looked at them. She leaned in closer to Shiloh and whispered, "A nanny? Where are you going to find a nanny out here?"

"Well, not a nanny like you'd find in Boston. But someone who can take care of him while I work." She glanced up toward Adam who, although slowly walking back to the settee, was giving her a severe look. "I guess it will be a topic of discussion when we get home."

Annie moved her eyes toward Adam and narrowed them. "Don't let him talk you out of it. I think it's a fine idea. This way you won't have to give up anything you wanted to do long before you were married."

"I didn't know about the horses until I came back."

"Still, you were doing that work before you were married," Annie said with a short, quick nod.

Shiloh's back straightened with her resolve. "True," she said nodding curtly and pushing her bottom lip up while looking Adam right in the eyes.

"Anyway, Adam, we still have a lot to do because of the late start," said Ben. "Adam?"

"Huh? Oh," Adam said with a nervous smile. "Sorry Pa, what were you saying?"

"I was saying we still have a lot to do before we can even begin to think of taking a day off."

Adam nodded. "We do. Besides finishing the roundup, we'll have to figure out how to handle the cattle drives between three of us. One of us needs to stay back and make sure everything else is handled. I have to go back to San Francisco in June, so I can handle the sales contract for the beef we usually deliver there. Then besides Crocker's timber, I'm sure we'll get more square set orders for the mines."

"Jim Tyler was asking if we could supply lumber for some of the buildings he's putting up this spring," offered Joe. "It seems Virginia City is in the middle of a building boom."

"Well, I've got to go to Carson City to meet with the other delegates to the convention in September," said Ben, "but we should have a handle on everything by then. If we don't, we're in trouble for the winter."

"You fellas are doing a lot of tiptoein' around me," said Hoss. You just need to forget about leaving me here to take care of the house. I'll be the one going on some of those cattle drives, and I'll bet you a week's pay I'll round up more of them strays tomorrow than the both of you," he said, pointing to Joe and then Adam. "I'm sick and tired of sittin' around."

Ben smiled and continued. "Adam, we have a council meeting day after tomorrow."

"Pa, aren't we just a little premature? We haven't even voted on statehood."

"The council doesn't think so. There has to be a capital when we become a state, so the decision needs to be made before the vote."

Stroking his chin, Adam said quietly, "I still think it's a long shot."

"Well, besides statehood, we have city elections coming up," said Ben, shifting in his chair and crossing his legs. Abel woke up, but was content in trying to shove his fist in his mouth as he lay in his grandfather's arms.

"I'm not running again. I've got too much to do these days." Shaking his head, Adam added, "Virginia City needs someone whose interests lie here. Mine are scattered."

Resting her chin on her fist, Shiloh looked long and hard at Adam. He'd said his interests are scattered. What did that mean?

"Hey Adam, what about the mine?" asked Hoss. "With Micah down, ain't you spending any time out there?"

"I hired a new superintendent to handle the mine."

Hoss stood up to stretch his legs and shoved his hands in his pockets. "Well, you had a superintendent and looked what happened," he said, nodding toward Micah's room.

"Philip Deidesheimer sent him, and I trust his judgment." Adam shrugged. "He's doing all right so far. But you're right. I still have to go out there on a regular basis."

"Seems to me you oughta be the one staying behind," said Hoss, looking back at his father who raised his hand to his chin and slowly nodded. "Between the mine, the Flying W, the Ponderosa, Crocker's timber and your archy-tecture job, I don't see how you can handle being gone for five or six weeks on a cattle drive."

"Maybe we should start thinking seriously about hiring a foreman," said Adam with an almost apologetic wince.

"Adam," started Ben. "It's true, this year has already been busier than most. We've had some injuries that slowed us down. But that doesn't mean we can't handle the work, and it doesn't mean next year will be the same. I think we need to wait and see how this turns out before we bring in an outsider to handle our business."

"Pa, he doesn't have to handle our business. It'll take a lot off of us just to have someone help coordinate the work. We still have to hire more hands for the ranch work besides the lumber camps. When will we have time to do that?"

"Micah and I can do that," said Shiloh.

Everyone looked at her, but no one was smiling.

"Don't look at me like I don't know what I'm talking about. Micah and I both have some experience at hiring...Adam, before we were married, I hired hands for the Flying W. I hired Johnny and Tom both for the horses."

"Do you really want to bring up how Tom was hired?," Adam replied with raised brows. When her lower jaw dropped, he closed his eyes and exhaled. "Shiloh, you hire men based on the facts of what they can do, not how much they need the job." Grimacing, he knew that had come out too sharp, but Shiloh had already folded her lips and bowed her head. "Sweetheart, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to snap at you. But you tend to lead with your heart."

Hoss glanced over at Annie and raised his brow. Still with his hands in his pockets, he kicked at the imaginary dust on the floor. "I reckon we've all brought home our share of strays, don't you, Adam?"

Standing, Adam crossed the room and asked for Shiloh's hand, and when she placed her hand in his, he pulled her up off the hearth, met her eyes and smiled, receiving a rather coy smile back. "I suppose so," he replied, kissing her hand. "It's time for us to go home. I still have some work to do, and it's way past Abel's bed time."

"Bed time? How can you have a bed time when you sleep all the time anyway?" asked Joe, chuckling.

"Adam's right, Joe," answered Shiloh. "I'm trying to keep him on a schedule so I can get some sleep at night. As soon as that's done, I'll start working with the horses." When Adam's chin slightly rose, she added, "A little at first, just to get them used to me, and then maybe a reminder of their ground manners." She gave Adam a sideways nod. "I'll see Paul again before I try riding."

"Well," said Adam, rubbing his hands together and walking toward his father. "Let's get this little fella wrapped up."

Shiloh stuck her head in Micah's bedroom door on the way out, but he was deep in his laudanum induced sleep. She quietly went to the side of the bed, and moving a hand to his forehead, she leaned over and kissed him goodnight.

Everyone stood on the porch as Adam helped Shiloh into the buggy, then went back to Annie for the baby. "You know you can come out and visit. Hoss tells me you're not going to start practicing medicine for a little while," said Adam.

"I may just do that," she said, as she kissed Abel's head.

After passing the baby up to his mother, Adam climbed up into the buggy next to her, waved, and drove away toward home.


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter Nine**

Not a word was said in the buggy on the way home, nor was there any conversation on the way up the stairs as both parents went up to put Abel down. Shiloh quietly changed him, the only indication of disturbance she received was a long stretch and a yawn after which he kicked himself over on his side and assumed his familiar fetal position.

Adam quietly chuckled as he leaned against the doorframe of the nursery and watched as Shiloh tenderly tucked the child in. "With a mouth so small when he yawns, it's quite amazing the level of sound he can produce when he wants something." He naturally moved his arm around her shoulders when she stepped into his side.

"Do you think we're spoiling him, getting up and tending to him every time he cries?" she asked, glancing up at him, then looking back at the peaceful baby.

"Maybe that'll be true when he's older. But right now, I think he's just reacting to what his little body tells him." He puckered his lips with an amused glimmer in his eyes. "Then again, Hoss still whines like a baby when he's hungry, doesn't he?"

She tilted her head back and laughed softly. "Oh, I don't think that would happen under dire circumstances."

"Oh, I don't know. I remember a time when all three of us were pinned down in some rocks and all Hoss could think about was food. Said he could smell Hop Sings cooking even though we were miles from home."

Turning his laughing wife toward the stairs, he pushed the nursery door all the way open before they walked, each with an arm around the waist of the other, down the stairs to the study. He poured two cordials of brandy as she seated herself in the chair in front of the desk.

"Why don't you sit in the desk chair?" he asked as he passed her one of the glasses. "I'll be working at the drawing desk, and that chair is more comfortable." Tilting his head, he said, "On second thought, come 'ere." Taking her hand he pulled her up out of the chair and guided her to the other side of the desk where he sat down and then invited her to sit on his lap.

"Have I been bad?" she asked, then took a sip of brandy.

"What makes you think that?"

"There was steam rising from your collar when you walked away from the hearth at Pa's...just after I had mentioned getting help to Annie." She touched a finger to his nose. "Isn't that why I'm sitting on your lap?"

He set his glass on the desk and twirled it for a moment. "I realize at some point, you will need help if you're going to start training horses and singing again. But isn't it too soon? He's only three months old. He's barely on a schedule, and you're still feeding him every three or four hours." He looked into her eyes expecting to see fight there, but she seemed completely calm.

After placing her glass beside his, she wrapped her arms around his neck and bent to kiss him, a kiss he extended by moving his hand to the back of her neck. Looking deeply into his eyes, she asked, "Mr. Cartwright, when do you intend to attend to your wife?"

His nostrils flared as his eyes took in glossiness of her freshly kissed lips. "I will attend to my wife when the good doctor says it's all right for me to do so." Kissing her nose, he continued, "And not before." Though she tried to continue to appear relaxed, he felt the slightest stiffening in her posture.

"And what if Annie says I'm all right?"

Pulling a hand away from her back, he stroked his forehead, then gave her a resolute gaze.

"Adam, do you remember the day Annie and Cheron tried to get me out of bed the first time." Upon seeing his creased brows, she said, "Oh. Of course you don't. You weren't here. Well, they talked about me for a few minutes, before Annie left to get Paul...against my rather loud objections." She bent to see his eyes. "She's not going to tell me anything she's uncomfortable with. And she _is_ my doctor now. Not Paul."

He narrowed his eyes. "I'll sleep on it."

Taking a deep breath, she managed a smile. After all, matters of _attendance_ were completely in his hands. If he insisted that Paul pronounce her well, that would be all she would be able to do to garner his attentions again.

He waited for the objection that didn't come, and nodded when he realized that particular part of the discussion was over. "Now, let's talk about help, shall we?"

"I believe it would be best to hire help now before we have to really rely on someone to take care of Abel the way we'd want him to be taken care of. She'll have to learn the schedules, the household routines, she'll have to deal with the chaos that comes with working for a Cartwright, and she'll have to get to know Ming Lin as she'll have duties in the kitchen."

He looked away for a moment, thinking. He could find no flaw in her reasoning, and quite frankly didn't really expect to. She generally thought things through.

He rose from the chair, lifting her to her feet as he went and walked her to the door of the study. "I'll make some inquiries tomorrow. We'll interview some people before we make a decision."

With a relieved smile, she said, "Thank you."

"Now, why don't you go on up and get ready for bed?" he said, moving a hand to the side of her face.

"I would prefer to wait for you."

Moving with her toward the stairs, he answered, "I know you would. But you look tired. That walk down to the main road, and then down to the stables and back up is probably the farthest you've walked since you started, isn't it?" Halting at the stairs, he took her hand and sent her up a step, so that they were at almost equal height, then wrapped his arms around her.

"But you come up so late, I'm already asleep by the time you get there." She tugged at the points of his collar. "I used to fall asleep in your arms."

"And you will soon. But for now, we all have to do what's necessary to get things done, and your responsibility is here with Abel."

"I won't put up a fuss if you promise to hold me when you come to bed."

Taking her hands, he kissed her knuckles. "I don't want to wake you."

"Even if you do," she said, leaning into him, "I won't be awake for long. I sleep better when I feel you there."

"Mm hm." He couldn't help but smile, and when she saw his dimples, she kissed them, making him laugh. "All right, all right!" Turning her around, he said, "Go on up. I won't be long."

All the while Shiloh got ready for bed, she had a smile on her face. She knew Adam wasn't one to go back on his word, and she looked forward to feeling his hands pull her into him the way he used to before her stomach had begun to come between them. After she fed Abel and kissed him goodnight one more time, she crawled under the covers and fell asleep with a smile on her face.

It was three in the morning before Adam tiptoed into the bedroom. First, he went into the nursery to check on Abel, taking a few minutes to tickle his cheek and watch Abel pucker his lips and slightly wiggle. Before he left, he made sure the baby was still sound asleep..

Standing by the bed, looking at Shiloh curled up into a ball facing away from him, he knew by the rhythm of her breathing she'd been sleeping for awhile. With his shirt unbuttoned, he let it fall down his arms to his waiting hands, then tossed it over the belt on the chair. Raising one leg, then the other, he pulled his boots off and quietly lowered them to the floor next to the bed. Next, he blew out the lamp burning low on his side of the bed, then slipped his trousers off, carefully laying them in the chair so the contents of his pockets wouldn't spill out. He waited until he was ready to get in bed to let his drawers drop to the floor, stepping on the legs and extricating his feet. He crawled across the bed on his hands and knees, wearing an expectant smile, and lay down in the middle of the mattress, then reached out, wrapping his long fingers around her waist and pulling her into him.

She moaned softly, but never opened her eyes, and when she settled into him, she had a smile on her face. There they lay in each other's arms until they were awakened just before five o'clock by a hungry little man.

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The next few weeks had been just as hectic as the beginning of spring. A band had broken at the sawmill and would take three weeks to replace, and that was three weeks too long. They'd be so far behind on the timber contracts, they wouldn't be able to recover. Since the sawmill wasn't running, Adam handled the order and payment by wire and sent Shorty to pick up the band in Stockton. Now with the new band installed, the sawmill ran day and night with an extra crew in order to make up the lost time. But with the extra crew working to take down trees, haul them to the sawmill and mill them, no one was left to plant new trees in their place.

"Adam, I don't like it," barked Ben, his brows creased in anger. "If you keep cutting without planting, at this rate we'll be out of decent lumber in a few years."

Rolling his eyes, Adam, who wasn't in the best of moods, answered, "Pa, we'll plant trees after the lumber is delivered."

Ben's hands moved to his hips as he leaned toward his son. "By that time, there'll be snow on the ground, too late to plant trees."

"Well, what would you have me do?" Adam shouted. "I've hired every available man within two hundred miles willing to work to cover cutting, cattle drives and repairs. And that still doesn't get the lumber delivered."

Ben huffed and turned his side to Adam. "We shouldn't have taken the railroad contracts. We knew they were big."

Pinching the bridge of his nose, Adam turned his back to his father. "It's not the railroad contracts. It's Micah...and Hoss to some extent. We're late getting started, we're were down two, and the winter was particularly hard. The real problem is there's not enough of us to make sure things get done on time and done the right way."

"Hmf," said Ben. "So what can we do?"

Shiloh had been listening at the top of the stairs and waited for her husband and father-in-law to leave the house before she bundled up Abel and went to the kitchen where she asked Ming Lin to help her hitch the buggy.

Ming Lin drove her to the Flying W where Hank was handing out the work for day. "Hank, how are you?"

"Miss Shiloh, this is a nice surprise," he said, pulling down the corner of the blanket covering Abel's face. "Well, he's definitely a Cartwright, ain't he? He looks a lot like his Pa."

Shiloh watched him with narrowed eyes. "Uh huh. And how are you?"

"We're doing all right, I guess," he said, looking away.

"I know that look, Hank. Out with it."

"Mr. Adam's got some of the men helping with the repairs over at the Ponderosa since some of Mr. Ben's hands are up at the lumber camp. That means some of our repairs ain't gettin' done."

"How much isn't getting done? Surely he's left enough men to do the worst of it."

"He has, and he's doing the same thing at the Ponderosa."

"And what about the herd?"

"Well, we can't really spare many men off the herd with some off with Joe on the drive to Sonora."

"Hank, what would happen if you combined herds. Move our north herd in with the Ponderosa's north herd, and our south with their south. Would that free up more men?"

"Well yeah. Each crew would only need a few more hands to handle the larger herd. An extra to bring in strays and an extra for rotation overnight."

"How many extra would that leave us?"

Hank tilted his head and narrowed his eyes. "Eight more. But don't you wanna ask Mr. Cartwright before we go moving our cattle onto the Ponderosa. He's mighty strict about keeping these two ranches separate."

She smiled. "I know, Hank. I just wanted to make sure it was possible before I troubled him with it. He and Adam have enough on their hands than to waste time with an idea that won't work. If he does agree to do it, you can send Johnny with them. Tom can handle the horses for the time being. That's nine more men at the timber camps."

"What do you want me to do?" asked Hank.

"Just start thinking about who we have that can cut lumber. Or maybe the Ponderosa has more men who can cut lumber. I know Adam likes to keep some of them over the winter so they can get an early start, but I imagine everyone who has experience is already up at the camps. I'm going to talk to Micah. If I can convince him, he can help convince Pa."

"And what about Mr. Adam?"

She nodded to Ming Lin, who lifted the reins, causing the horses to lift their heads. "I'll talk to Adam. I don't see him turning down the help." Turning the buggy around in the Flying W yard, she said as she drove out, "I'll let you know."


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter Ten**

Ming Lin next drove Shiloh to the main house. While she visited with her brother, he went to the kitchen to see Hop Sing.

Both men bowed and spoke in Cantonese. "You are well?" asked Hop Sing.

"Yes, Cousin, and you?" replied Ming Lin.

Hop Sing nodded, then turned his attention to the vegetables on his work table.

Ming Lin followed and absent-mindedly picked up a knife and began to peel potatoes. "What troubles you, Cousin?"

"I am not troubled. Spring is a busy time, but this year, the Cartwrights are louder. They yell all the time because there is not enough men to do the work."

"Mrs. Cartwright may have a way for them to have more workers, if Mr. Cartwright will listen to her. That is why we are here. She is speaking with Mr. Micah."

"It would be nice to bring some peacefulness back to life," said Hop Sing. Both men nodded and quietly peeled potatoes.

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After settling Abel in Micah's arms, Shiloh sat quietly in the chair next to the bed.

Micah waited for a time, but curiosity got the best of him. "Whatever's bothering you, just say it, Shy. There's no good or bad time while I'm conscious."

She smiled. "I need your help."

"You wouldn't be here in the middle of the day if you didn't," said Micah, winking, and then turning his attention toward his nephew who had just stretched and yawned.

Abel's eyes were open, and the child was looking up at Micah's face, seemingly deciding whether or not he was happy with his current accommodations. The baby stiffened and cooed, settling down in Micah's arms, content to watch the world for a little while.

"Micah, I don't know how much you've been hearing, but things are starting to fall behind. Actually, they're not just starting. They're already behind."

"I have heard enough to know that. But I don't see any way to avoid it, Shy. Mr. Cartwright said Adam's already hired everyone who wants to work."

"That's true, but I have an idea that would give him nine more men." She sat forward on her chair. "I know Pa didn't want to let the herds run together for legal reasons, but I think the problems we're having right now might just warrant a little risk, at least risk as far as he's concerned."

Recognizing the determined light in Shiloh's eyes, he knew she'd worked through this in her mind every way possible, and had already come to the conclusion that it was worth doing, and, if left up to her, would be done. But this wasn't her decision. She was looking for an ally. He stifled a smile. "Go on. I'm listening."

"If we combine the north and south Ponderosa herds with the north and south herds from the Flying W, Hank says that will free up eight more men. And I can add Johnny to that, so that will give Adam nine more men."

Micah bit his lip, remembering everything that had been discussed the last few days. "Nine more men could make the difference in making the deadlines on those timber contracts. We'd need another team of horses."

"They already have all the Clydesdales, but I could give them Buster and Blue. They might not be as fast as the Clydesdales, but they're big enough to pull logs. We don't have another set of harnesses, but I have to go into town today. I can find out if Mr. Baldwin at the livery might have a set of harnesses, and if not, I can order a set from Miller's forge."

Micah looked down at his nephew who was concentrating on untangling his little fingers. Taking a deep breath, he creased his brows, cocked his head first to one side, then to the other as if weighing the good and bad of Shiloh's suggestion. "What do you want me to do?"

"Talk to Pa. Just lay it all out for him, and convince him it needs to be done."

"I'm sure you realize what a sizable task that's going to be, even if he stops to listen to it. The minute I say the words 'combine herds' he's liable to walk away."

She sat on the very edge of her seat, pleading with her eyes. "Then you have to make sure he doesn't walk away."

Laughing, Micah looked up at the ceiling. "I can't exactly run after him."

She wilted, casting her eyes down. "I'm...I'm sorry, Micah. I didn't mean to..."

"Stop," he said, waving his hand. "You didn't. I'll figure out something."

Glancing back up at him, she smiled. "Thank you. I'll get the harnesses as soon as I can."

She stood to take Abel, and while she was wrapping him in his blanket, Micah asked, "What about Adam?"

Taking the child into her arms, and swaying back and forth," she said, "I'll talk to Adam tonight. I don't think he'll have a problem combining the herds. After all, he owns a piece of both of them. I think he'll be glad for the help." She leaned over the bed and kissed his forehead. "I didn't ask how you're feeling. Is there still a lot of pain?"

He shrugged. "It's nothing for you to worry about. You know the road is gonna be long for me. I just take it a day at a time."

"Do you have something to keep you busy, at least?" she asked, brushing his hair behind his ear.

Flipping the hair from behind his ear, he said, "I hate that. I have enough to do, thank you. Mr. Cartwright's letting me do the ledger, and Adam brings over the books from the mine. The rest of the time, I don't generally know my name." He raised a brow, snorted and looked away.

She slowly sat down and found his hand. "What can I do for you?"

"Shy," he whispered, bowing his head. "Can you get me out of here? I mean, outside, out of the house. Can you get me home?"

"When's the last time you saw Dr. Martin?"

"Just a few days ago." He nodded toward his feet. "He says they're still too raw. He doesn't want to take the chance of infection because it could destroy the skin that's..." he let his head drop again. "Left."

"Micah, the best I can do is take you home with me. And that might take some time. There's a room downstairs, but it's not finished."

"It's got four walls, doesn't it?"

She chuckled. "Yes, but that's about it. Besides, it won't necessarily get you outside. We have a porch that's at least five steps high. It's a lot easier to roll out on this one and you can go further." Her offering didn't bring him out of his depression. "Hey, I'll talk to Hop Sing...show him how to prop your legs up so your feet don't touch. Then you can roll around inside and out all you want." She noticed the lines forming on his forehead. "It's time, isn't it? Do you need help?"

"No," he said, smiling. "I can do it. But I want you to go before I take it."

She started to smile, but didn't quite make it, barely avoiding tears begging to escape. "All right. I'll see you in a few days. When I come back, I'll show Hop Sing how to keep your feet up in the chair." Standing and leaning in again, she pressed her cheek to the top of his head, gave him a quick kiss, and left.

The last thing Micah heard before he succumbed to the laudanum was the buggy leaving the yard.

xxxxxxxx

Adam and his father walked through the front door, removing their guns and hats, and then continuing to the living room. Adam poured both men a drink. "Good thing we went by the main house first. If I had come home and Shiloh and Ming Lin were both gone, I think I might have been just a little disturbed."

Ben noticed the edge in his son's voice. "Now Adam, surely you don't expect her to give you a detailed itinerary whenever she needs to go to town. She's a big girl."

Adam had just gotten his glass to his lips and hesitated. "She is. But she has a small baby with her. She should have let me know." He finished his sip of whiskey and drew in a slow breath to cool the burn. "And it's almost dark, and she's not back." He seated himself heavily on the sofa.

"Well, we know what she's up to. From what Micah said, she's already making arrangements for another set of harnesses," said Ben.

"You have to admit, Pa, it's a good idea."

"No, I don't," answered Ben, crossing his legs. "I'll not risk the Flying W by getting it tangled up with the Ponderosa.

Just then, Shiloh and Ming Lin came through the front door. Shiloh froze when she heard voices in the living room.

Ming Lin took the package she carried, and excuse himself at the same time Adam appeared next to her.

"Thank you, Ming Lin," she said, and then turned to her husband, who took the baby from her.

"Pa's here," he said, walking back into the living area and laying Abel down in the cradle there.

She followed, clasping her hands in front of her when she entered the sitting area. "Hello, Pa. I didn't expect you. Have you had dinner?"

"No, but Hop Sing is expecting me back." He stood. "I just wanted to tell you that Micah spoke to both of us...and the answer is no."

She had done a lot of thinking while riding as a passenger in the buggy Ming Lin was driving to and from Virginia City. Knowing what the answer was going to be, she had come up with her own argument.

"Fine. Since you feel that way, then I'm afraid we need to move all the timber camps cutting wood for the Crocker contracts to Flying W land. You see, I won the Crocker contracts for the Flying W before I married into the Cartwright family. And since you don't want to mix business between the two ranches, it's only right that those camps be moved, and we deal with the problems they're causing. That way, the Ponderosa won't be involved when the contracted dates are missed."

Adam scratched his head and then rubbed his temples. "Shiloh..."

Ben held his hand up calmly and gave Adam a glance that stopped him. "Let's...let's hear what she has to say. She's obviously given this some thought."

She had been standing there very stoically, but softened as she walked to her father-in-law, taking his hands and looking up into his eyes. "Pa, I thought you considered Micah and me part of the family."

He smiled. "I do."

"Micah and I are willing to take the risk, and the risk is ours to take. It's a good risk. If something comes along and we lose everything, we lose everything together. We start over together as a family should."

Ben's brow creased as he thought. She was right. The Ponderosa was always at risk. And though it was his intention to leave the ranch to his sons, he was willing, at times, to put it all at risk when the risk was worth taking. He did considered Micah and Shiloh part of his family, another son and daughter. "Nine men?"

She smiled. "Nine men."

"Team?"

Chuckling, Shiloh tiptoed and kissed Ben's cheek. "Buster and Blue. And Mr. Baldwin is delivering a set of harnesses tomorrow."

Ben squeezed her hands and kissed her forehead. "Good night. Adam, will I see you tomorrow?" he asked as he headed for the door, taking his hat and gun belt off the entry table.

"Sounds like I'm delivering a team and some extra men to the timber camp tomorrow. So probably not." He stepped up to Shiloh, moving a hand to her shoulder, and as soon as the door closed behind his father, he spun her around. "Don't do that again."

"What?"

Adam pinched the bridge of his nose. "Why didn't you tell me what you were going to do? And why didn't you tell me you were going to town?"

She cut her eyes up and away and took a deep breath before she answered. "Because you weren't here when I decided to do it." She took a step back away from him. "In fact, you're rarely here when I'm awake. I was just trying to help," she finished, backing away toward Abel and lifting him out of the cradle. "I'll go see about dinner."

"Shiloh," Adam said, stepping in front of her as she retreated. "Shiloh." Moving his hand across her shoulder to the side of her neck, he said, "You didn't go to town for harnesses."

"No, I didn't even think about the harnesses until after I spoke to Micah. I went..." she glanced up at him. "...to see Paul."

He pulled her into him. "And what did Paul say?"

"He said I'm fine. That I should still take some time to test what I can do. Go slow."

"Test?"

"You know. Like maybe sitting on a horse to see how it feels and get used to that before I go for a ride."

"Uh huh."

She stepped closer, holding Abel to one side. "He said I'm fine," she whispered.

"You see, that's something I would have liked to hear for myself."

She gave him an angry scowl. "You think I'm lying?"

"No. Not exactly."

Huffing, she pushed away. "Not exactly?"

"I just think that...sometimes...you leave out important details...when it suits your purpose."

"I haven't lied to you. But since you think I have, whether by an outright lie or a lie of omission, why don't we just drop it until you find the time to ride into town to talk to Dr. Martin for yourself." She turned and started to walk away, but stopped and looked back over her shoulder. "I'll say good night now. I'll arrange for your dinner before I go upstairs for the evening."

Adam stood with his hands on his hips, the muscles of his jaw flexing as he watched her go. But he let her go without saying anything else. Once she was out of sight, he turned back to the living area and poured himself another whiskey, drinking it slowly while staring into the embers glowing in the fireplace.

Shaking his head, he asked himself what he had expected after telling her he didn't trust her to tell him the truth when it came to her health. He could have said that a little better. It probably wouldn't have mattered anyway. With any question he'd posed, any comment he'd made, it would have turned sour. They were both on edge, Shiloh because of her confinement and her inability to get back to work. She was never very good at having time on her hands to do nothing. And he was more on edge than ever after the morning's conversation with his father about the Crocker contracts, after his father questioned his judgment. Maybe after the work was caught up and running smoothly...maybe it was time to start thinking about making a change. He wasn't about to tell anyone his true feelings about his work with Slater, nor was he going to tell anyone that he was beginning to feel that work was more important. He'd worked it all out over and over in his head. Joe, Hoss an Pa could handle the Ponderosa. Micah could run the Flying W with Hank as foreman, even from a wheelchair. Shiloh could still have her horse business and her music in San Francisco. And that would put him where he wanted to be, doing what he wanted to do.

He bent and began to rebuild the fire that would keep the house warm during the chilly night. He couldn't tell anyone. He couldn't even begin to think about leaving until things were right at both ranches. And getting them there could cause clashes and conflicts all the way around if he wasn't careful.

As he was thinking while staring at the new flames lapping at the logs, Shiloh had come back out of the kitchen and quietly ascended the stairs with Abel. She turned around once at the top and thought to say good night one more time, but decided against it. He'd insinuated she had lied. She didn't feel very charitable at the moment.


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter Eleven**

Adam picked at his dinner, then went to his office where he worked on the drawings for the Hotaling Building. Everything had to be ready by the middle of May so he could send the drawings to Robert to check before the two men presented them to Mr. Hotaling in June along with several other architects vying for the contract. He had also been requested to come up with drawings for a state capitol building, the likes of which no one had ever seen, by the city council of Virginia City. Based on the agreement he had with Robert, the work was performed under the Slater and Cartwright name and payment was sent directly to Robert. Because every other architectural firm in Virginia City, all two of them, had backed out when they found Adam would be representing his San Francisco firm, Adam had to recuse himself from all council votes dealing with statehood, and he was fine with that. He felt the effort to make Virginia City the capital of the State of Nevada was a time-wasting exercise, and he did not have time to waste.

When he heard Abel crying, he had just finished an elevation drawing of his state capitol building. He smiled as he listened to Shiloh shushing the baby, talking to him as she settled him down for a meal. Pushing away from the desk, he decided he'd done enough for the night. This would be one of the very few nights when he'd see Abel awake before he slipped into bed beside his wife.

After blowing the lamps out in the study, he walked around the downstairs turning down or blowing out the rest of the lamps. He stoked the fire, adding more logs, and then quietly climbed the stairs, not stopping until he was leaning against the doorframe of the nursery with his arms crossed, watching as Shiloh smiled down at her son, whispering to him as he nursed.

Abel's eyes were wide open as he watched his mother's face, reaching up to touch her, but not quite making it. His little legs would start to kick as his face turned red with frustration, and every now and then he'd almost cry, but when he realized he couldn't nurse and cry, he'd settle back down.

Adam wondered when Abel had begun to see his mother. With his smile disappearing, he bowed his head, wondering what else he'd missed. As he drew closer, Shiloh caught the movement and looked up. Her smile left her, and without saying anything, she turned her attention back to the baby.

Moving his elbow to the top of a chest-of-drawers, Adam propped his head on hand. "Would you tell me what else Paul said?"

She glanced up at him only for a moment. "Other than what I've already told you, he didn't say much. He did an examination and said everything had healed well, and asked if my hips were still bothering me. I told him there was still some soreness, and that I hurt more in the evening, but that I've been walking. I told him I try to do as much as I can on my feet, but I don't really have that much to do yet."

"Did he say anything about...us?"

Trying her best to hide a smile, she answered, "I don't know what you mean," and gave him her most earnestly confused look.

She wasn't quite successful at hiding the slight upturn at the corner of her mouth or the impish sparkle in her eyes, because he stepped forward and grasped her chin, turning her face up to his. He gave her a stern look for teasing him, then gave her a long, deep kiss that warmed her blood so, he could feel the heat rising from the bare skin of her shoulders.

When he finished his kiss, she immediately looked away. Considering he hadn't shown any interest before, she hadn't expected it now.

"Sweetheart, what is it?"

She hesitated, tilting her head. "It's hard not to feel uncomfortable when you've felt...undesirable...for so long."

Adam's mouth fell open as his brows creased. It seemed his mouth froze at the beginning of the word 'what' for a moment before he actually said something. "Why do you feel that way?"

Abel had fallen asleep, so she stood and lay him in his crib, wiping his mouth with a piece of flannel, then pulling her robe around her and clutching it closed before she turned back to face Adam. All she could manage was a sheepish look before she stepped around him and hurried into the bedroom.

He was right behind her, and when they were far enough away from the nursery so as not to disturb Abel, he took her arms and stopped her from going any further. "Shiloh, why?" he said softly, waiting patiently while she gathered her thoughts.

"I..." she started, but closed her mouth again. Closing her eyes, she tilted her head back, and reopened them to look up at the ceiling. "You haven't shown much interest in me since Abel's birth. I thought maybe I wasn't...I mean, I'm wearing the same clothes...mostly. They just fit a little differently."

Taking a deep breath, he allowed his cheeks to bubble as he blew out. "Shiloh, I couldn't afford to show that kind of interest in you. You had just had a baby, and it was a difficult birth. If I had allowed anything to start..." he looked sideways at her. "You needed time to heal, and I didn't want to do something that might make it worse." He turned her so that she had to look at him. "It's not that I don't want you. I do. I knew I had to...leave you alone...to give you time to heal."

She gave him a straight, though fretful look. "I don't look the same."

He chuckled. "It's not as if I haven't noticed you. There are some small differences. You're bigger...here," he said, nodding at her chest, and maybe have a little more curve here," he said, moving his hands to her hips and pulling her into him. The corner of his mouth turned up as his nostrils flared and his eyes gleamed. "If I had to use one word to describe you, I'd say you're…" He lowered his face and looked up from under his brows. "Voluptuous," he finished in a husky voice.

Her blush got the best of her and she began to shrink away, but he held her against him. "So Paul said it was all right. And how do you feel about it?"

Her discomfiture was such that she couldn't keep her eyes open. "It almost feels like our wedding night again. With all the problems and changes, I don't know what to expect."

"And do you remember what I told you on our wedding night?" he asked softly while lightly kissing the side of her face and her ear. "I don't want you to be afraid of me." He slipped her robe off her shoulders and enveloped her, covering her mouth with his whenever she began to speak. When her breaths came faster, and her fingers began to unbutton his shirt and move lightly over his chest, he backed her up to the side of the bed, and fell with her, catching himself with his hand on the mattress before he landed on her. "I'll be right back. Don't go anywhere."

As she watched him disrobe, she moved over to her side of the bed and pulled the covers over her.

Just as he winked at her, there was a knock at the door. He stopped, his eyes wide as he crooked his jaw. "Who is it?"

"Ming Lin, Mr. Cartwright. A man called Digger is here from the mine. He says there has been an explosion and fire."

Adam's brow furrowed as he hurriedly redressed while Shiloh sat up in the bed and pulled the cover up. "I'm sorry, Sweetheart. I have to go." He sat on the bed next to her and pulled his boots on, then leaned into her for a kiss. With his forehead against hers, he whispered, "I'm sorry."

She smiled and kissed his nose. "It's all right. I'll be right here when you get back. Unless Abel calls. Then we'll both be here waiting."

Standing, he bent and kissed her one more time.

As he opened the door, she called to him. "Adam?"

He looked back. "Yeah?"

"Come back to me."

"Always," he said, smiling before he pulled the door closed behind him.

Digger was waiting at the bottom of the stairs, wringing his hat in his hands. Before Adam took the first step down, he was already speaking. "Mr. Cartwright, Mr. Cooper sent me. The powder shack at the mine's exploded."

Adam stopped halfway down the stairs. "Anyone hurt?"

"Don't know yet. When I was leavin', they was still lookin' for everyone."

Continuing down the stairs, Adam went straight to the entry table and began to fasten his gun belt. "Do we know what caused the explosion?"

"No sir. Mr. Cooper sent me real quick. All I know is it was big. My ears is still ringin', and I wadn't real close."

"What about fire?"

"Yessir. The trees behind the shack caught fire. Don't know how bad, though."

On the way out the door, Adam gave Digger instructions. "Go to the bunkhouse at the Flying W. Tell the men to come out to the mine ready to fight a fire. Send one out to Hank's to let him know where everyone is."

Hesitating at the door of the barn, Adam moved his hands to his hips, bowed his head and bit his bottom lip. There was a lot of black powder in that shack. An explosion would have sent flames high up, possibly into the crowns of some of those trees, and if that happened, it would spread fast. At first he dismissed the idea of bringing the men over from the Ponderosa. After all, the mine belonged solely to the Flying W. But in all good conscience, he couldn't wait to find out how bad it was for himself. A fire could well be on its way southwest toward the lake, and that part of the Ponderosa was heavily treed.

"Digger, after you go by the Flying W, go to the main house and let my father know. Tell him I said this fire could spread fast."

Digger mounted and left, and Adam wasn't far behind him, riding hard all the way to the mine. Still several miles away, he saw a dome of orange low in the sky, and kept himself low in the saddle, letting Sport run.

When he arrived, he saw chaos all around him, miners running to and fro with buckets, some with burlap. The few with shovels and hatchets were working at the front of the fire rather than behind it to clear a break.

Adam realized the miners weren't going to make a difference and headed east to the closest timber camp. The men there would have some experience felling trees to clear a break.

Shorty had seen the orange sky from the higher elevation of the timber camp, and he and a contingent of men along with a wagon of tools met Adam halfway. By the time they arrived back at the mine, the miners had run out of water, and the fire had doubled in size.

Adam sent the lumberjacks forward a half mile to start cutting a break and moving toward the fire. He had the miners stay in front of the fire to prevent it from moving any closer to the other mine buildings. Luckily, the area around the shaft had been cleared of trees, so they were fighting mostly small spark-ignited fires around the mine.

By that time, Ben arrived with Hoss and Joe and all the men from the Ponderosa bunkhouse along with tools to fight the fire.

"Adam! Where do you need us?" yelled Ben.

"I've got lumberjacks west. We need men to the south to cut another break."

Ben turned. "Joe, take the men south and start a break. Hoss, can you see well enough to ride out to the timber camp up on Mt. Rose?"

"Yessir. I'll bring down every man there." Ben watched as Hoss rode away until the darkness overtook the eerie glow at his back. Turning, Ben moved an arm around Adam's shoulder and turned away from the roar of the fire. Still, he had to yell to be heard. "What happened?"

"All I know is that the powder shack exploded!"

There was no time to say more because Digger rode in with the men from the Flying W. Adam grabbed the bridle of Digger's horse and held his hand up to the men. "All of you head south and meet up with the Ponderosa hands. You'll be cutting a break and moving this way."

Without a word, the men turned their horses and rode south. Digger, dismounted and smacked his horse in the rear. "What can I do, Mr. Cartwright?"

Grasping Digger's shoulder, Adam bent close to his ear. "Count heads here, Digger. Find out if we have injuries to tend. And find Cooper and send him to me."

Both Ben and Adam grabbed tools that Adam had taken from the lumber wagon and headed into the front edge of the fire.


End file.
